Canon EOS 40D Review

Displays

Shooting mode information

Pressing the INFO button with no reviewed image displays an overview of the current camera configuration, note that the EOS 40D provides two different info displays; Normal display and Shooting function display.

Normal display

Shooting function display

Record review & play displays

By default the EOS 40D provides a two second review display immediately after the shot is taken, this can be disabled or extended to 4 or 8 seconds or as long as you hold the shutter release button. During record review you can press the erase button to cancel / erase the currrent image. Record review and play share the same display modes, just press the INFO button to select between the four available modes (see below).

Display modes

There are four display modes available in record review / play, you can also optionally enable 'Highlight alert' (blinking highlights) and / or 'AF point display' (the last two in the table below).

Play magnification

The EOS 40D has dedicated magnify buttons and provides fifteen steps of magnification, the final step appears to go beyond the detail of the cached image and can look pixelated.

Play thumbnail index

Unlike the EOS 30D the 40D provides two levels of thumbnail index, the initial view being a four image 2x2 index, press the thumbnail button once more to switch to a nine image 3x3 index. You can use the multi-controller or quick comman dial to move around images or the main dial to jump images (ideal if you have the 'screen' jump mode selected).

Other Play displays

After pressing the erase button you are shown a Cancel / Erase option

An example of the menu shown when the camera is connected to a Direct Print compatible printer

Comments

The EOS 40D’s kit options vary depending on your region. Europe and Australasia have the sensible choice of either the new EF-S 18-55mm IS or the popular EF-S 17-85mm IS USM, while America has the somewhat curious option of the EF 28-135mm IS USM.

Very very sad because though the 40D isn't missing any feature in particular--though I could make a case for mechanical image stabilization--one feature I'd really like to see trickle down from the 1D series, and which I think makes a lot of sense in a camera of this class, is the ability to define acceptable ranges for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity when shooting in one of the exposure-priority modes.